For decades, young people have been urged to pursue higher education, with white-collar jobs, especially in fields like coding, viewed as the future. However, as AI continues to disrupt traditional career paths, skilled trades are emerging as a more resilient and rewarding route to stable, well-paying jobs.
Lowe’s, the home-improvement giant, is making a significant investment to help lead this shift.
Lowe’s $250 Million Investment in Skilled Trades
Lowe’s Foundation recently revealed that it will invest $250 million over the next decade to train 250,000 skilled trade workers in professions like plumbing, carpentry, and electrical work.
This investment follows an earlier commitment of over $50 million to support nonprofits and community colleges, but, according to Lowe’s CEO Marvin Ellison, the rapidly changing workforce dynamics make funding for skilled trades even more vital.
“We’re a company that believes strongly in the future of AI. But in a world where administrative and analytical jobs will increasingly be dominated by AI, we think skilled trades will become even more critical,” Ellison shared with Fortune.
He emphasized that while AI is powerful—it can write code, analyze data, and automate tasks—it cannot perform essential hands-on tasks, such as fixing broken appliances or constructing the physical infrastructure that supports the digital economy.
“AI can’t climb a ladder to change the batteries in your smoke detector,” Ellison pointed out. “It can’t repair a hole in your roof or change your furnace filter.”
The Growing Labor Gap and the Need for Skilled Workers
Lowe’s’s investment also comes in response to a growing labor gap in the skilled trades. According to the Associated Builders and Contractors trade association, the U.S. will need around 350,000 additional workers by 2026 to meet the demand for construction services.
This figure will rise to 456,000 in 2027, with similar shortages in other skilled trades, such as plumbing, carpentry, and electrical work. While demand and wages are increasing, the training pipeline has not kept up.
A Personal Connection to Skilled Trades
For Ellison, this shift in the workforce is deeply personal. Growing up in Brownsville, Tennessee, he was taught that college was the way to achieve the American Dream. But he noted that many of the most respected professionals in his community were tradespeople—plumbers, electricians, and mechanics who owned their own businesses.
“I was taught growing up that going to college was the way I could achieve the American Dream,” Ellison shared. He went on to earn a business degree and an MBA, while his brother chose a different path and built a successful career as a welder.
Reflecting on his upbringing, Ellison said, “These trades are a way to create meaningful wealth and a dignified living, and you can do it with much less debt than a traditional four-year degree.”
Shifting Perspectives on Careers
Ellison believes that careers in skilled trades are often seen as second-tier options, but he argues that this perception needs to change. “It’s all about different paths to prosperity. We all, me included, need to do a better job of presenting skilled trades as rewarding, viable careers, not just backup plans,” he said.
Inside Lowe’s, this mindset is already shifting. Ellison pointed out that even some of the company’s top executives are now encouraging their children to pursue trade careers instead of college, drawn by the strong earning potential and rising costs of higher education.
His advice to young people is straightforward: choose a career that aligns with your interests and skills, without succumbing to the pressure of societal expectations. “Don’t succumb to peer pressure that one career is better, more impressive, or more valuable than another,” he said. “Choose your career path based on your natural interests and skill set.”
The Success of Skilled Trades: Cleveland Roberts’s Story
Cleveland Roberts, a skilled tradesman who graduated from the carpentry program at Columbus Technical College (which received a grant from Lowe’s Foundation), exemplifies the benefits of a career in the trades.
Roberts, who worked full-time as a diesel mechanic while studying, won a gold medal in cabinetmaking at the state level in the 2024 SkillsUSA competition. Today, he runs his own carpentry business, CR Woodworx, in Columbus, Georgia.
“I realized I wanted a career where I could build something tangible, work with my hands, and have more control over my future,” Roberts explained. He found the work both creatively fulfilling and a clear pathway to entrepreneurship, despite the challenges of balancing craft with business management.
Scaling the Skilled Trades Opportunity
While Roberts’s story is inspiring, Ellison acknowledged that broader efforts are needed to expand these opportunities.
Companies like BlackRock and Google have also made significant investments in skilled trades training—BlackRock announced a $100 million investment, while Google invested $15 million and partnered with the Electrical Training Alliance to help expand the electrician workforce.
However, Ellison stressed that more needs to be done, warning that the shortage of skilled trade workers could become a national issue if not addressed. “We know we can’t do it alone,” he said. “This is going to be critical not only to our company but to the future of our country.”
The Future of Work: A Balanced Path Forward
The growing importance of skilled trades, particularly in light of the AI revolution, is pushing companies like Lowe’s to invest heavily in the future of manual labor.
As automation and AI reshape the workforce, careers in plumbing, carpentry, and electrical work are proving to be not only viable but essential to the country’s economic stability.
For young people considering their career options, Ellison’s message is clear: the path to prosperity is diverse, and there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Whether through a four-year degree or a skilled trade, the key is to pursue a career that matches your skills and passions.
